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TARTALB 024LP
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Glenn Astro leans into the twilight months of 2024 with a new album from his Delta Rain Dance project. Divining fourth world sensibilities from his restlessly curious studio workflow, Astro weaves a mesmerizing tapestry of sound on Music For Autumn which treads the line between horizontal meditation and head-nodding, backroom-ready groove. Amongst his constellation of myriad aliases, Delta Rain Dance spells out the inspiration Astro takes from fourth world pioneer Jon Hassell. The project first surfaced with a string of tapes, LPs and digital releases around 2018, all carried on a label of the same name to keep Delta Rain Dance enclosed in its own space independent of Astro's many other musical endeavours. "I'm really into the world building aspect in science fiction and fantasy," says Astro. "This is my way of creating worlds and spaces that co-exist next to each other. Sometimes they collide but mostly they exist peacefully next to each other or pursue some form of cultural exchange by collaborating with each other." There's a strong sense of balance and cohesion throughout Music For Autumn, as organic percussion and instrumentation wraps around delicate synthesis and patient drum machine pulses so naturally it's hard to spot the joins. The sound has plenty of room to stretch out, from the mantra-like chimes and rattles of the album opener "Green Light Fade" to the luxury funk of "Mmmh, Nice" (featuring fellow Tartelet alumni Nelson of the East). At times the electronic elements seem to entirely dissolve, not least behind the loping strings and tumbledown percussion of "Second Sleep," while achingly beautiful closer "Plucked" centers on the fluttering movement and expression Astro elicits from his modular setup. True to the project's influences, a consistent ambiguous mood lingers in the air over Music For Autumn somewhere between far-flung mystery and comforting familiarity, reliably calm but equally contemplative. It's an odyssey of serenity with enough nuance to make you really think, perfect for the days getting shorter, leaves crunching underfoot and the last fading rays of warmth from the sun.
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TARTALB 023LP
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In a flurry of madcap sampling pitched towards the heat of the night, Pedro Zopelar builds on the premise of his 2022 electrofunk love letter Charme (TARTALB 018LP), shifting his approach towards a particular '90s flair and a method with a specific end result. Ritmo Freak took root in studio experiments for a momentous -- and rare -- live set at São Paulo festival Não Existe in 2023, where Zopelar was caught up in one of those right-place, right-time moments. As he explains himself: "This album is dedicated to freaky club culture. While I was playing at the festival there was a crazy tropical storm outside and the room was packed with the freakiest crowd. I've tried hard to immortalize that feeling on this record." With the intended energy in mind, Zopelar focused on a particular mode of production centered around 12-bit sampling from his ample record collection. Considering his background as a trained pianist, here his musical instincts are forced to work within the limitations of short, snappy cuts from dusty 12"s. The lo-fi sound sources and the resourceful ways Zopelar works them gives the record an unmistakable old-skool flavor which he applies to forthright house, techno and electro funk rhythms, always taking care to draw out the soul of the music. The stylistic touchstones flow past thick and fast on Ritmo Freak. From the amped up fierceness of the title track with its gaudy, cut-and- paste, vintage techno flavor to the effervescent electro funk of "Gabriellinha's Boogie" on to the surreal Balearic inversion of "Distraction," this is a high-velocity, endlessly charming record bursting with the musicality Zopelar has made his name on. As the driving force behind many warehouse parties in São Paulo, Zopelar has been immersed in club culture for a long time, and his distinctive catalogue of jazz, funk, acid and techno has graced highly respected labels like Apron, Selva Discos and Mother Tongue. Throughout, he's displayed an affinity for the tangled roots of the groove with an open-eared, big-hearted sound. That's what comes through on Ritmo Freak -- a record as infectious as it is well-informed. Also featuring Gabto and Manuel Darquart.
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TARTALB 022LP
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The trailblazing German producer Max Graef is back, this time applying his sparkling flair and infectious appeal to the widescreen spectrum of psychedelic, starry-eyed jams of his third album, comfortably nestled into a bean bag in the backroom. Natural Element coincides with the tenth anniversary of his revered debut LP Rivers of the Red Planet (TARTALB 003LP), which remains a cherished high watermark for label and artist alike. It also serves to highlight how much time has passed, and how much has changed. 2018's follow-up Lo Siento Mucho Pero No Hablo Tu Idioma (TARTALB 009LP) was a step into many other musical approaches and made clear Graef didn't want to rest on the broad appeal of his earlier funked-up, jazz-sampling house sound. Natural Element is the sound of an artist more at ease with the parts of his legacy which hold true, and those he wants to let go of. But there absolutely is funk to be found on Natural Element. It's in the low-slung chill-out of "Sports (Is Good For You)" and the nagging synth-slap-bass underpinning "Around The Globe." But the glue which holds the album together across all kinds of tempos and energies is a shimmering, organic psychedelia -- dreamy chords and artful sonic brushstrokes which gleam out of the mix. It's a quality universal across the aqueous beauty of tropical breakbeat roller "We are the World (Test Drive)" and the cascading slo-mo ecosystem of album-opening double-act "Sound Bytes" and "Zitar." Casting one ear back to that landmark debut LP feels like listening to an entirely different epoch, not just for Graef but for music as a whole. What's heartening is that the magic which made Graef stand out back then is still absolutely present and correct in his new guise.
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TARTALB 020LP
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Taking his cue from seminal mix albums of days gone by, Glenn Astro is back with a compilation of original productions from a cast of fictional artists on Nothing Is Real. Across 13 tracks, the Tartelet mainstay celebrates the thrill of discovery which came as standard listening to new entries in series like X-Mix and DJ Kicks, moving between head-nodding downtempo, ambient techno, broken beat and all manner of chill-out room delights. You might be left wishing artists such as DJ 1999, Mental Trance, and Eye Soul8r had actual discographies to go and explore, but as Astro himself is keen to point out, "nothing is real." Astro has never been shy to embrace classic tropes and tones in his past albums for Tartelet, Apollo, and Ninja Tune, but he's drawing on a different set of influences for this album and embracing the flexibility afforded by using imagined aliases for varied production styles. "I had the idea to do a mixtape, preferably with unknown dance tracks that also reflect that whole '90s/early '00s vibe," Astro explains. "Instead of digging for some records that haven't been sourced yet or trying to find those 'forgotten' treasures, I made the tracks myself. That way I had full control over BPMs, feel and the whole arrangement of tracks. I thought of a few alter egos and started producing the tracks in the order that I intended to play them in a mix. In the end a whole compilation of tracks emerged." While the concept might suggest you're going to hear a lot of overfamiliar sounds, don't be fooled. Astro is inspired and inquisitive, channeling the experimental spirit of the '90s and early '00s when electronic music was still continually being redefined in all kinds of micro-scenes. In many cases, Astro's productions slip into the cracks between genres rather than specifically mimicking a style. Even if the reference points are detectable, the end result is a curious blend as indebted to ambiguity as the overall concept of the compilation. Like the spine-tingling sensation of hitting play and awaiting the waves of unknown sonics on one of those seminal mixes, you never know exactly what you're going to get as you take the trip through Nothing Is Real. For fans of The Orb, The Future Sound of London, Aphex Twin. Features: Mental Trance, Crystalline Reality, Eye Soul8r, DJ 1999, Brain Liquor, and The Foundation.
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TARC 002LP
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Tartelet present the debut album from Doc Sleep -- ten tracks of exquisitely rendered melodies and rhythms shaped with grit and beauty in equal measure. Birds (in my mind anyway) is a widescreen vision of electronica as a medium to express your personal situation and respond to your environment -- a rave adjacent art form free from the perceived rules of the dancefloor. To date, Melissa Maristuen, known as Doc Sleep, has established herself in the context of the club -- first engaging with the culture in San Francisco before moving to Berlin. She helps run the Room 4 Resistance party, DJs on Refuge Worldwide, co-owns the Jacktone label and has released on Detour, Dark Entries, and her own label. But in making Birds (in my mind anyway) she set herself an ultimatum. "At the time of recording this album, my life, all my routines and priorities had to change -- music was no exception. I decided if I couldn't be happy making an album free of the dancefloor, I was finally going to be done with music. Instead, I found a musical voice free of tempo and textural restriction. Eventually, I had a sound, and once I had the sound, the album came pretty quickly. It was a very different process writing music for no one -- except myself." If the impression given is one of a consistent style across the album, think again. Doc Sleep moves freely between tempos and themes, even if there are some recurring qualities binding the music together. She weaves fluttering arps with poise, lending them an almost choral quality which gives the album a very human touch. But they're equally emotionally ambiguous or pockmarked with sonic interference -- reflections of the collisions and conflicts that typify the human experience. Every inch of the album is a personal touch -- the title was pulled from Doc Sleep's mother's response to hearing the album, while her friend Kiernan Laveaux offered a beautiful text which appears on the back. Those closest to her all fed into the artwork process, which captures the curious dichotomy between urban brutalism and botanical finery often found in the parks of Berlin -- a vital place of respite when she was making the album. Features Glenn Astro and M Marie. For fans of: Ciel, rRoxymore, Skee Mask, Glenn Astro. Edition of 300.
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TARTALB 018LP
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Zopelar arrives on Tartelet with Charme -- an album of effervescent machine funk harking back to a golden era of Brazilian party music. The era of interest for Sao Paulo's Pedro Zopelar begins in the 1980s in Rio de Janeiro, when a particular phenomenon caught on at suburban parties which became known as "Charme". "Charme was like a mix of slow boogie, RnB and new jack swing," explains Zopelar. "DJ Corello started calling 'charme' the moment of the party when he played slow grooves and felt that the people started dancing differently, with sexier synchronized moves. Some years later, charme evolved from an awaited moment of a night to a whole movement of parties just playing that kind of music. On this record I tried to make something that brings this emotional feeling to my music in a modern way." Much like the original genre-not-genre he drew inspiration from, Zopelar's approach across his latest LP spans different moods and tempos. There's blissful, sultry mystery lingering around "Clara" and "Do You Feel?" while Osagie lends some chops to the exquisite, Rompler-powered synth funk of "Chain Net". The lead singles "Shibuya", "Charme", and "Passado" all tap into varying shades of deep house, from slinky city pop-tinted loungers to peak-time dance pop and Larry Heard-influenced flavors, with the constant being Zopelar's immaculate production and the unbridled warmth of his compositions. Continuing the Latin-rooted theme of the album, the artwork conception of Charme was realized by multidisciplinary artist and curator Ode, showcasing a popular style of street paintings made by anonymous artists throughout Latin America. It's not about graffiti-culture but a popular solution utilized by small restaurants, bars and other establishments to use their own walls for commercial purposes, hiring artists to paint food and drink menus or other information about their products. With an emotional sincerity stemming from his move to reconnect with the Brazilian dimension of his creative background, Charme arrives as Zopelar's heartfelt celebration of life and music, of sentimental moments shared and good times enjoyed. Zopelar has previous releases on Apron, Connaisseur, and D-Edge. For fans of: Space Ghost, Dam Funk, Larry Heard, Soichi Terada, DJ Python.
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TART 051EP
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Return to Space Ghost's celebrated Dance Planet LP (TARTALB 016LP/C-LP/X-LP) with six summer-ready remixes by Central, Dirk 81, Jarren, Nelson of the East, and Space Ghost himself. The Oakland-native's romantic and empowering house sound has enjoyed a growing audience made up of fans and tastemakers alike. The remix package comes courtesy of friends and label affiliates, each lending their touch to Space Ghost's work. Capitalizing on the inherent warmth in the Bay Area-artist's sound, Tartelet label head Dirk 81 subtly threads a slow, rolling breakbeat into "Deep", channeling '90s RnB and Balearic. Danish underground powerhouse and Help/Regelbau label affiliate Central injects some up-tempo garage house energy into "Be Yourself" --without losing the swirling romanticism of the original. And LA-based producer Jarren, neighbor to Space Ghost on UK label Apron, leans in to the punchy Lately Bass and turns up the swing on his own version of the track. Space Ghost comes back to "Emotional Healer" and creates a pointedly club-tooled "Dance Mix" version with a panoply of '90s touchstones delivered in the classiest of ways. To finish, Nelson of the East's "Forever Dub" of the track adds a sharp and snappy strain of modern steppas. For fans of: Larry Heard, Mr. Fingers, Mood II Swing, Soul II Soul.
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TART 051C-EP
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12" version. Pink/black marbled vinyl. Return to Space Ghost's celebrated Dance Planet LP (TARTALB 016LP/C-LP/X-LP) with six summer-ready remixes by Central, Dirk 81, Jarren, Nelson of the East, and Space Ghost himself. The Oakland-native's romantic and empowering house sound has enjoyed a growing audience made up of fans and tastemakers alike. The remix package comes courtesy of friends and label affiliates, each lending their touch to Space Ghost's work. Capitalizing on the inherent warmth in the Bay Area-artist's sound, Tartelet label head Dirk 81 subtly threads a slow, rolling breakbeat into "Deep", channeling '90s RnB and Balearic. Danish underground powerhouse and Help/Regelbau label affiliate Central injects some up-tempo garage house energy into "Be Yourself" --without losing the swirling romanticism of the original. And LA-based producer Jarren, neighbor to Space Ghost on UK label Apron, leans in to the punchy Lately Bass and turns up the swing on his own version of the track. Space Ghost comes back to "Emotional Healer" and creates a pointedly club-tooled "Dance Mix" version with a panoply of '90s touchstones delivered in the classiest of ways. To finish, Nelson of the East's "Forever Dub" of the track adds a sharp and snappy strain of modern steppas. For fans of: Larry Heard, Mr. Fingers, Mood II Swing, Soul II Soul.
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TARTALB 010C-LP
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Tartelet release jitwam.'s 2019 success album on gold vinyl. HONEYCOMB hits the sweet spot between jitwam.'s work in dance music and efforts as a bandleader, connecting people in studio and on stage. The record encapsulates his diverse upbringing in India and Australia, before living in monasteries in Thailand, orphanages in South Africa, and finally the US, where he currently resides. On jitwam.'s journey, he's worn several musical faces that all highlight soulful sounds within the world of psychedelic indie rock, the hip-hop realm, and underground house music. These sounds and musical identities are apparent in his 12-track album of broken microphone blues, heartfelt vocals, and smooth assorted instrumentation. It follows jitwam.'s well-received EPs on his own imprint, The Jazz Diaries, which secured him a spot on Moodymann's DJ Kicks compilation. HONEYCOMB was recorded at the Steam Room Sessions studio in London, where Natureboy Flako lent his special touch to jitwam.'s tracks across some intimate collaborative sessions. What's left are sonic "diary entries" that put a magnifying glass on life's mundane moments, turning them into inspired tales of life, love, sadness, and periods of ecstatic release. Album opener "busstop" finds him welcoming you into his world with warm guitar riffs, smooth basslines, and lyrics about the comforting chaos of urban life in India. Features are aplenty on the LP too: London artist Marie Bashiru adds croons to the buttery "diamonds" and "temptations"; trumpet is worked in by Henry Wu-collaborator Nick Walton; and frequent Brooklyn-based collaborator Aquiles Navarro features on the lullaby jam "hearts don't lie." Hazy '90s hip-hop drums and warm synths bring the listener into "i'm a rock." Going even deeper, jazz-funk enters the room on "trustt," a tune that's all groovy basslines and cosmic soundscapes. "opendoors" brings up the energy for one of the LP's most full on, hands-up trips; it's a mix of buzzing horns and uplifting vocals about the possibilities to be found in any moment if you just let go -- and let loose. HONEYCOMB frees jitwam from any parameters of a dancefloor 12-inch. It blasts open the doors for an artist who fuses musical identities and stitches together ideas into some of the warmest music you'll hear all year. Welcome to HONEYCOMB: A psychedelic journey through the inner beyond.
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TARTALB 017LP
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Tartelet introduce the blissful, psychedelic electronic soul sound of Abunai on his sophomore album, Chrysalis. Across 11 songs the Oakland, CA-based multi-instrumentalist lays down a dreamlike style which should chime with fans of Tame Impala, Khruangbin, and James Blake alike. As well as the sun-soaked surrounding of his Californian home, Abunai's family connection to Hawaii casts its influence over an album which has all the makings of a crossover success. Look no further than early support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Don Letts, and Wayne Snow for further proof this album is set to blowup. "My sound is definitely influenced by the live music I grew up within the Bay Area," says Abunai. "There's plenty of musical legacy here, including the '60s psychedelic and counterculture movements, the '90s rave scene, and the hyphy movement. I'm always trying to connect the dots and blend all of my influences. Chrysalis was, like so many recent albums, a project made largely in isolation during the pandemic, although Abunai did reach out to close collaborators Gravity and Raquel Marie to contribute some guest vocals, Kevin Farzad from Sure Sure for the acoustic drum parts and a few additional production touches from Tartelet regulars Glenn Astro and Max Graef. He bills the songs as an exercise in therapeutic self-care through lockdown as much as a balm for others. "It's music for healing," Abunai explains, "for the listener to be able to marinate in the slow tempos, the dreamy textures, the swirling vocals, and the lush synthesizers. It's very much about growth, re-emergence, and dreaming of a better future." As well as dealing in ear-catching pop melodies and sweet vocals, there's an underlying theme of the ocean, which stems from his coastal surroundings and his family roots in the Pacific. "I think the album is aquatic," he reflects, "and it feels like a voyage to me, or like a long shower, being reborn in the water. I played the album for my grandpa, who's a veteran sailor and pilot from Hawaii, and he said it was the perfect music to play when you're sailing on the open ocean at sunset." Cast in nostalgic, soft-focus tones and endlessly soothing for the soul, Chrysalis is your new favorite record for tender moments, hazy days, and starry-eyed reveries alike.
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TDE 001EP
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Milanese producer Nelson of the East sets out on a deeper exploration of percussive house/techno on Sub Erotic, the first release on Tartelet Record's new dance floor-focused sub-label Dancemporium. Following his 2021 album release of Kybele (TARTALB 013LP), Nelson of the East (Nicolas Meyer) is embarking on a new area of sonic exploration rooted in club music motifs. His forthcoming EP, Sub Erotic, builds on his accomplished artistic imprint, balancing the urgent pulse of dance music with the rhythmic sensibilities of non-Western cultures. "After the release of Kybele, it took me a while to figure out what would be a good sequel, and I found myself deconstructing tracks from the album," says Nelson. "I came to the conclusion that the most important thing on the new EP would be the relationship between the different elements, while trying to use fewer layers." While the lilt and sway of organic musicality remains at the heart of his sound, the Berlin-based producer applies the sequalities in a variety of ways. On "Ellipsis", for example, live percussive patterns were recorded and recreated using synthesis, which Nelson found to be more effective than the acoustic originals. The result is three tracks that pivot around danceable structures while moving well outside the established norms of house and techno. From the pinging textures and staggered beat impulses of "Ellipsis" to the go go-flavored funk of "Sub Erotic" and the trance-inducing acid incantation of "Memoria"; Nelson's distinctive inspirations spill out of his music in intriguing formations. Danish mainstay Kasper Marott rounds out the EP, applying a seductive pulse to push "Ellipsis" towards a psychoactive peak. The perfect brooding partner to the original, while reinforcing Nelson's vision of an electronically minded album. Sub Erotic marks the first release on Dancemporium, Tartelet Records' new home for dance floor-oriented music. Having grown to become a broad church of musical modes and expressions, the label is now breaking out into more focused sonic spheres. With his use of rich timbres and adventurous spirit, Nelson of the East is the perfect inaugural candidate.
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TARC 001LP
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Tapping into the seductive unease of the unexplained, Modula lands on Tartelet Archives with Paranormal Phenomena - The Icelandic Expedition, a nine-track album that evokes alien synth-electro and new age soundscapes. During a trip to Iceland in February 2020, Naples native Filippo Colonna Romano (Modula) experienced the raw power of the island's otherworldly natural forces. Inspired by his field recordings and a rekindled interest in sci-fi, Paranormal Phenomena - The Icelandic Expedition was born. Steeped in haunting LA synthesis and cinematic tension, the album is an imagined soundtrack to a supernatural thriller, cast in the icy tones of the Roland JD-800. "When I went to Iceland I was so excited about the ambience and sounds," says Modula. "I felt everything was stronger than normal; the wind was brutal, the waves fast and noisy. I came to the conclusion that what I had captured all sounded strangely eerie and otherworldly. I decided to compose music that had the same vibe as the field recordings -- cold and strange, mysterious and alien." The album includes nine tracks each representing a scene in the "movie" ranging from alien synth-electro to new age ambient moods and soundscapes, inviting the listener on a journey through cold landscapes and into dark caves where unknown creatures lurk in the shadows. Paranormal Phenomena leads logically on from Modula's previous work for Bordello A Parigi and Firecracker, not to mention his Alba -- Tempesta -- Notturno EP on Tartelet Records (2017) which drew on field recordings from the jungles of South America. Merging extreme environments with a rich palette of classic outboard gear, Modula's music transports listeners through space and time. Given the heavy motion-picture theme present in Paranormal Phenomena - The Icelandic Expedition, the album is a fitting release to inaugurate Tartelet Archives, a new sub-label to Tartelet Records focusing on electronic obscurities and sounds from the past. For fans of: Nu Guinea, Jex Opolis, Mystic Jungle, Vangelis, Brian Eno. Edition of 300.
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TARTALB 016LP
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2023 repress. Sudi Wachspress returns to Tartelet Records with Dance Planet, a third LP of emotionally-charged house music to welcomes you back to the dancefloor. The spirit of true house runs deep in the sound of Space Ghost. Oakland native Sudi Wachspress is intuitively plugged into the romantic, mystical energy of 4/4 club music as a unifying force of empowerment and liberation, carrying the torch from vital forebears like Larry Heard, Alton Miller, and Blaze. His new album, Dance Planet, carries a greater responsibility to spread spiritual affirmations. As the global dancefloor community emerges from a mentally-taxing recess and confronts their social self like it's the first day of school, Space Ghost's message couldn't be more supportive. "Don't be afraid to be yourself, don't be afraid to let go," he intones on "Be Yourself". More than just a beat and a hook, his music is pointedly created to heal and energize. "I'm a big fan of old-school house vocals that have a positive message," says Space Ghost, "tracks that can perhaps enhance your mood or strengthen your confidence in yourself." Wachspress has always represented a beacon of musical uplift, both on his previous Endless Light (TART 008LP, 2018LP) and Aquarium Nightclub (TARTALB 011LP, 2019) LPs for Tartelet and on his swathes of self-released music and 2020's Free 2 B on Apron. Compared to most house-oriented artists, he places emphasis on the long-player format to create an encircling experience for the listener, smoothing out psychic wrinkles and massaging areas of tension for a fully holistic hit. For fans of: Larry Heard, Ron Trent, Dam-Funk, Moon B.
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TARTALB 016C-LP
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LP version. Yellow vinyl. Sudi Wachspress returns to Tartelet Records with Dance Planet, a third LP of emotionally-charged house music to welcomes you back to the dancefloor. The spirit of true house runs deep in the sound of Space Ghost. Oakland native Sudi Wachspress is intuitively plugged into the romantic, mystical energy of 4/4 club music as a unifying force of empowerment and liberation, carrying the torch from vital forebears like Larry Heard, Alton Miller, and Blaze. His new album, Dance Planet, carries a greater responsibility to spread spiritual affirmations. As the global dancefloor community emerges from a mentally-taxing recess and confronts their social self like it's the first day of school, Space Ghost's message couldn't be more supportive. "Don't be afraid to be yourself, don't be afraid to let go," he intones on "Be Yourself". More than just a beat and a hook, his music is pointedly created to heal and energize. "I'm a big fan of old-school house vocals that have a positive message," says Space Ghost, "tracks that can perhaps enhance your mood or strengthen your confidence in yourself." Wachspress has always represented a beacon of musical uplift, both on his previous Endless Light (TART 008LP, 2018LP) and Aquarium Nightclub (TARTALB 011LP, 2019) LPs for Tartelet and on his swathes of self-released music and 2020's Free 2 B on Apron. Compared to most house-oriented artists, he places emphasis on the long-player format to create an encircling experience for the listener, smoothing out psychic wrinkles and massaging areas of tension for a fully holistic hit. For fans of: Larry Heard, Ron Trent, Dam-Funk, Moon B.
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TARTALB 003LP
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2021 repress. Tartelet has a knack for uncovering virtuosic, off-kilter electronic music. Max Graef -- born, bred and still holding it down in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg -- is their latest artist in this mold. Though adventurous dance music is thick on the ground in the German capital, Graef's 2013 run of singles, cropping up on Graef's own Box Aus Holz, plus Melbourne Deepcast, The Gym, Heist, and Tartelet, continually surprised, infusing worn-in house with manic energy and acrobatic elasticity. Where many of his peers make languid, self-consciously laid-back tunes, Graef makes brilliantly restless ones. Dropping the needle on one of his EPs, you nearly expect it to pop right off again. Rivers Of The Red Planet, Graef's first full-length, takes all that wildness and refines, expands, updates, and scrambles it. It's an ambitious and deviously entertaining record, the fulfillment of Graef's desire to make anything but another contemporary house music album. At any given moment, Rivers Of The Red Planet feels like it could have been recorded through the smoke at a jazz club in the booth at a techno club 30 years from now or inside an MPC stocked with crusty dollar-bin samples -- the staff at Graef's beloved OYE Records in Berlin might have a difficult time settling on which section to file it in. If it sounds sampled, it's a testament to Graef's natural musicianship and production prowess -- the record is heavy on sounds he played himself, from drums and Rhodes to fat synth melodies wrung out of an old Crumar Performer water-damaged to perfection. For vocals, Graef enlisted Nigerian singer Wayne Snow, whose rugged soulfulness makes him a natural pairing. On cuts like "Drums Of Death" and "Speed Metal Jesus", the club-readiness of his EPs lives on. But Rivers Of The Red Planet may be most at home in your living room, with a good bottle of red and a roaring fire's crackles mixing with the pops and hiss of the vinyl -- a playful listen that sinks in, burrowing deep and getting you all warm and gooey on the inside.
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TART 050EP
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Glenn Astro returns to Tartelet Records with Purple, a four-tracker of minimal slow burners and futuristic dance music, marking the label's 50th 12" release. Since releasing his second album Homespun in late 2020, Glenn Astro has been quietly channeling his funky instincts towards new production approaches. Purple, a four-piece compilation of mutant future-boogie daubed in Rogers-Nelson hues, comes through with emotional heft. "Following up on Homespun, I wanted to try out some more dancefloor-oriented tracks again," says Glenn Astro. "Keeping it simple and practical, while not being too predictable. I incorporated a lot of modular synth bits and experiments, with 'Flux' being an almost exclusively modular-based jam." Incorporating tricky sound design and fluid structures, Astro's new lines of enquiry never come at the expense of the groove. From the opening thump of "Penduloop" onwards it's apparent that his rugged rhythmic kinks are present and correct to hook in the dancers, while the melodic drops later in the track edge in a little melancholic flavor to take the mind somewhere else entirely. On this opening track, the artist explores new territory with his version of early naughties minimal house -- a welcome slow burner. The EP title track "Purple" slaps with purpose, not least in the Linn-esque drums and melodic bassline, but it's a positively dreamy piece which skips on crooked beat formations and floats upwards via a multi-timbral tapestry of yearning synth shapes and robotic vocals. On "Out Of Office" Glenn Astro provides a generous dose of electro nostalgia when he amp sup the heavy-hearted feeling with aching string pads and electro-informed machine logic. The track becomes alive with its deep un-synced rhythms and dark bass notes, pushing further into the abyss. "Flux", with its tool-y feel, takes the electronic mantra further and sheds light on the source of much of Astro's new sound palette. Crucially, even in its techiest moments, an irrepressible humanity shines through across Purple. Glenn Astro's soul is the binding agent which links his early, sample-heavy house to his more explorative new angles, and it comes through in abundance on this fully-formed release. For fans of Steven Julien, Funkin Even, Floating Points, Aphex Twin, Palms Trax.
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12"
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TART 049EP
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Space Ghost returns with hedonistic house anthems for your living room dancefloor on his latest EP, Time To Dance. After a string of successful albums on Apron and Tartelet Records, the Oakland native Sudi Wachspress (Space Ghost) returns with a selection of golden-era house anthems conveying the message of unity through dance -- a much-needed reminder of better days. The 28-year-old producer and DJ has been gaining momentum over the last few years. His growing catalog of ambient-leaning house with lush musical textures is a testament to carry on the legacy of famed US house producers, who have set the tone and pioneered electronic dance music since the 1980s. On his new EP, Time To Dance, Space Ghost gets on the mic and takes us back to the early days of house music, effortlessly mixing the deep bass rhythms of Chicago with the Nu Groove-era of the East Coast. "This release was mostly inspired by some early East Coast house. I started the idea before Covid-19 really took over the world. I wanted to make something explicitly for the dancefloor, kind of like my own dance floor anthem." The EP's main cuts "Time To Dance" and "New World Energy" both come in two versions -- a main version and an alternative mix for maximum dancefloor pleasure. As the artist's vocals echo on the track: It's time to come together and work for a better future for all. "Now with everything going on with the coronavirus and all the protests in the US and across the world, I think my goals have shifted. Even though the world is on pause and people can't spin these tracks at a club, I still think the message of Time To Dance is: We can work together and music can help us through it."
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LP
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TARTALB 013LP
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Embarking on a journey from Italy to Anatolia and from Africa to the Americas, Nelson Of The East soars over imagined landscapes in his debut, motion picture-inspired album, Kybele. Plug in your headphones, drown out the world, and set out on a mystic voyage of Earth through the lens of Kybele, the Anatolian goddess of wild nature. With the world in flux and isolation taking its toll, musical escapism has become a much-needed pastime for today's armchair adventurers. Skillfully weaving the sounds of East and West, the nine-track LP fuses Turkish and cosmic influences with a strong electronic backbone into an otherworldly soundtrack of our time. Named Kybele after the Anatolian goddess of nature, fertility, mountains, and wild animals, the record is a continuous saga that takes from the Berlin-based artist's own adventurous spirit. Following his previous EP releases Night Frames (2018) and Phase Alternating Lines (2019), Nelson explores new territories on Kybele. Album opener, "Explorer," is an exhilarating build up to what could be an '80s sci-fi movie, showcasing Nelson's knack for cinematic moods. "Draw Me," speaks to the artist's intention of making a "snare album," with an irregular, dominating beat untethering it from time or boundaries. "What I realize while I was writing the rhythm part is that the more you keep a beat simple the more difficult it becomes to make it interesting," says Nicolas. Another thing Nelson achieves in this album is ambience, or the "motion picture touch" as he calls it. Tracks like the wild and obscure "Culto", with its Anatolian nuances and Middle Eastern-sounding scales are made by layering synths to achieve an orchestral effect. Other tracks capture the musician's penchant for African and Brazilian grooves, like the Saudade mix of "Burning Palm". On the B side, the Italo-flavored "Phase Lines" comes through with shimmering synth and electronic drums complete with hazy vocals delivered by DJ Rayne and Nelson himself. "Yahuda" dives into dark, melancholic electro with a Detroit feel not far from the sounds of the great Drexciya. The album closes with "ZETA", a track that could easily double as an obscure cinematic composition. Artwork by The Emperor of Antarctica. 180 gram vinyl; edition of 300.
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LP
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TARTRE 001LP
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Tartelet present Jubiiilæum, a collection of early '80s songs by the legendary Danish composer and music educator Lotte Kærså and her band of young musicians, Græsrødderne. Breathing new life into old recordings, Tartelet has collaborated with the Danish composer and her family to restore and re-master an iconic production, digitizing twelve outstanding tracks from the family's extensive musical archives for the very first time. The reissued LP entitled Jubiiilæum (Anniversary) consists of songs taken from Lotte Kærså two first albums -- Jeg Har Set Det Selv (I've Seen It Myself) from 1979 and Hjemme I Vores Gade (On Our Street) from 1981 -- both of which have long been sought after items among diggers and vinyl collectors. In the nascent stages of her musical journey, Lotte Kærså's music was already imbued with a new kind of sound. Weaving genres from near and far, elements of exotic sounds such as samba, jazz funk, and dub-reggae come together with a distinctly Danish cheerfulness in the songs' lyrics. Stand out tracks in the 2020 release include "Prøv og Gør Ligesom Jeg" (Do As I Do), which has been heard in Nu Guinea's DJ sets, the Brazilian funk escapade "Karneval" (Carnival), reggae-inspired "Du Kan Bruge Din Krop" (You Can Move Your Body), the brilliant late night dub-not-dub tune "Byen Er Stille" (The City is Silent), and many more. Born in 1929, Lotte Kærså showed great musical promise from an early age. However, instead of pursuing her planned education at the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, she chose another path: early childhood education. Starting out her career as a kindergarten teacher, a lifelong commitment to children and their musical education was in the making. Throughout the 1970s and '80s, Lotte Kærså pioneered innovative pedagogical methods. Combing rhythmical music with dance and movement-based activities, she helped promote their development in novel ways. In the following years, Kærså went on to produce TV for children, write music, and teach music education. To this day, Kærså has remained one of the most progressive music educators of her time, and continues to compose and teach. In the summer of 2019, Kærså turned 90 years old. To celebrate her life's work, a reissue of her greatest songs was compiled on a brand-new release: Jubiiilæum.
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LP
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TARTALB 011LP
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2023 repress. Tropical boogie meets mellow house on Space Ghost's new album Aquarium Nightclub: An homage to the natural world set against the richly-diverse backdrop of Oakland. After Space Ghost's first album Endless Light (2018) took to international airwaves and echoed out of cities from London to Los Angeles, his forthcoming release Aquarium Nightclub brings back his signature lo-fi aesthetics with a fresh hit of inspiration from the natural world. Melding irresistible vintage synths with a meditative groove, Aquarium Nightclub is a journey of sorts. Taking listeners on a tropical tour through '80s house drums, lush synth landscapes, and deep bass melodies, the thirteen-track LP is as adventurous as it is restrained. Growing up in a small town a few hours from California's East Bay area, Space Ghost (Sudi Wachspress) moved to Oakland ten years ago to study at the California College of the Arts. In a city known for its vibrant cultural fabric and its experimental music scene, Space Ghost represents a new generation of young artists. His DJ collective Late Feelings, launched in 2013, has allowed him to find his own groove amongst monthly all-vinyl dance parties, where he plucks influences from various corners of the world. More complex than last year's release, Aquarium Nightclub shows off Space Ghost's artistic hunger and unique sonic signature. Kicking off with "Sea Snake Island", a track that is best described as late '80s house melancholia, is a beautiful dance of shimmering keys, drum machines, and sounds of the jungle. The single "Sim City" featuring Morgan is a classic Chicago house beast; dark but uplifting with heavy bass undertones, fuzzy drum pulse, and plenty of mysterious synth melodies. Other tracks like "Ocean Odyssey", "Night Dive", and "Aquarium Nightclub" plunge into an ambient world of slow 80s funk, though always rooted in the Bay Area sound. A product of record-collecting and dance party hosting, Aquarium Nightclub is a glittering postcard from Atlantis. Profound yet undeniably groovy, its mesmerizing tropical undertones promise a safe journey back to the endless days of summer. The album artwork is designed by Space Ghost himself.
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12"
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TART 048EP
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Glenn Astro conquers new territories with Naturals, fusing elements of Balearic and left-field house with tribal and acid sounds. Naturals delves into unexpected sound territories without losing touch with planet home. Sub-heavy drums mix with private oceanic field recordings, futuristic synth, and effect pedal workouts, delivering a four-track EP that is novel but honest to the bone.
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12"
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TART 047EP
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The illusive Nelson of the East (N.O.T.E.) reappears with his forthcoming EP Phase Alternating Lines -- a first class two-tracker. The Swiss-born, Milanese artist explores '80s electro boogie with "Phase Alternating Lines" on the A side, and delivers his very own take on obscure tribal house with "Burning Palm" on the B side.
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12"
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TART 046EP
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Kenton Slash Demon return to Tartelet Records with Zstring EP. "Zstring" cements their ability to create uplifting, melodic tunes. The track oozes with dancefloor euphoria, offering up a distorted arpeggio bassline, lush pads, and layered melodies, all built around a tight and ever-changing groove. There are clear references to Italo disco, early techno, and trance. Urulu delivers a fresh take in his signature early '90s style, while local hero and close friend Kasper Marott of Monkeytown fame comes through with an obscure melodic techno workout of the finest sorts.
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12"
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TART 045EP
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Tartelet Records delivers Minor Forms by Urulu, a bumping EP that winds up the label's roster of ambitious releases celebrating its tenth year in business. Urulu stretches out with signature key changes and an elegant hustling tempo across four tracks, reflecting the diversity of touches and influences he has become known for. On Minor Forms, he teases the straight and the breakbeat with elements of jungle, electro, ambient and old school, delivering a satisfyingly moody resonance amidst the dance floor functionality.
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2LP
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TARTALB 009LP
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Four years after his breakthrough, Max Graef returns to Tartelet Records with his second solo album. A dungeon-dub symphony in four parts, Lo Siento Mucho Pero No Hablo Tu Idioma is an album's album. Brimming with new and old guests, interludes and bonus skits, it's a consummate sketchbook of Graef's most unique music to date. "Every bit of music or work represents the mood and skills of a certain period," he says. Where Graef's critically acclaimed debut LP Rivers of the Red Planet (TARTALB 003LP, 2014) began an adventure away from the dance floor, this record wormholes into totally lateral territory. Not interested in repeating old tricks, No Hablo... sees Graef on a playful joyride through a whole new crate of influences. Echoes of Japanese video game music bubble through the Zelda-channeling "Master Quest" and dreamy bonus level "Midi Break 1." "Midi Lisa" and "Intershop" roll out mutant digi-reggae, while "Rush" and "Level Zero" dig deeper into bass and juke. The album also premieres music with Chrissley Benz, a Kazakhstani singer. As Graef explains: "No Hablo is intuitive with, less editing, raw arrangements, and filled with experiments. I worked on it in a very unmusical way." But the record isn't a universe apart from his previous output; throwbacks to the tape-deck world of g-funk and 80's boogie are still present, as well as a few psychedelic jazz cuts. The record also sees the return of Graef's fathe, guitarist, Gerry Franke, plus long-time collaborators Funkycan and Ludwig. A record of 20 tracks, it covers many bases, and somehow it all makes perfect sense and reaffirms Graef's natural-born ear for killer hooks and unique melodies. The album's title, Lo Siento Mucho Pero No Hablo Tu Idioma, is an elegant and simultaneously ironic way of apologizing for not speaking one's language in Spanish. It's a fitting metaphor that speaks to Max's ability to skip effortlessly between musical dialects with style and grace. This album proves it more than ever. Lo Siento Mucho Pero No Hablo Tu Idioma comes with 20 short films and a radio station playing No Hablo... hits non-stop. Tune in to www.no-hablo.com and let the weirdness unfold. Max Graef follows Glenn Astro, Space Ghost and others in Tartelet's 10th year in business, celebrating the label's commitment to work across genres.
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